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Aim: How do composers play with melodic direction, steps, and leaps?Summary: We establish expertise in melodic direction by steps and leaps, and use this knowledge to compare contrasting melodies. Materials: colored pencils or markers, staff paperTime Requirement: two 20-minute sessionsStandards: US 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8; NYC 1, 2, 3Vocabulary: melodic direction, steps, leaps

Unit 3 OverviewActivity 3.1: Play and Explore The Blue Danube and Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten Activity 3.2: Listening Challenge—Melodic Direction, Steps, and LeapsCreative Extension 1: Moving Melody Market GameCreative Extension 2: Create Your Own Cantus

Activity 3.1: Play and Explore The Blue Danube and Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten

• The Blue Danube (motif excerpt), Track 7, SG17–22

• Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten, Track 11, SG24

Activity 3.2: Listening Challenge—Melodic Direction, Steps, and Leaps• Demonstrate and help students define melodic direction, steps,

and leaps by playing various melodies (known or improvised).• Does this melody move by steps or by leaps?• What is the direction of this part of the melody?

• Play and compare The Blue Danube (motif excerpt), Track 7, and Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten, Track 11.

• Do these melodies move by steps or by leaps?• In what directions do these melodies move?

• To go further, you can refer to My Marvelous Moving Motif Map (SG41–42)to support your process and/or answer the same questions for any other melodies students are interested in exploring.

Melodies MoveFocal Works: Strauss’s The Blue Danube and Arvo Pärt’s Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten

Contour

steps:small changes in pitch

leaps:large changes in pitch

melodic direction:ascending or descending melodic movement created by steps and leaps

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Creative Extension 1: Moving Melody Market Game

• You have $10 to invest in a melody from The Orchestra Moves. If you choose the correct tune to invest in, you’ll do well. If you choose the wrong tune, you might lose all your money.

Moving Melody Market Game Rules• Choose a melody to invest in.• The starting pitch of the melody is your $10 starting investment. • Every time the melody moves up, you gain money.• Every time the melody moves down, you lose money.• Steps are worth $1, and leaps are worth $2.• An octave leap is worth $10, but watch out—that might be up or down!• If the melody stays on the same note, your money does not change.• The player with the most money at the end of their melody wins.

• Locate The First 10 Notes (SG43) and The Moving Melody Market Figure-Outer (SG44).

• Play the opening excerpt from each of the following pieces (or you can sing or play the 10-note excerpts below).

Symphony No. 5, Track 27

The Blue Danube (motif excerpt), Track 7 Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten, Track 11 Nocturne from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Track 16 “Can-Can,” Track 29

• Based on the first 10 notes, make a prediction of which melody will make the most money according the rules.

• Locate the longer version of your chosen melody on My Marvelous Moving Motif Map (SG41–42).• Look carefully at your chosen melody and count the number of steps up, steps down, leaps up, leaps down,

octaves up, and octaves down, and chart them on the Figure-Outer (SG44).• Multiply your ups and downs by $1 for steps, $2 for leaps, and $10 for octaves.• Add and subtract your respective totals from your $10 starting investment to determine the value of your

melody.• Compare your earnings with others in the class. Which melody won?• What made you think your chosen melody would have more ups than downs?

• Which piece would have done the best if we counted the ups and downs for a shorter time?• For an additional challenge, have each student complete the Figure-Outer for all five melodies.

Teacher SupportVisit the Link Up Online Community to download The Moving Melody Market Figure-Outer answer key for each of the melodies.

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The First 10 Notes

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, first movement

Strauss’s The Blue Danube

Arvo Pärt’s Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten

Mendelssohn’s Nocturne from A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Offenbach’s “Can-Can”

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Count the number of steps that go up.

Count the number of leaps that go up.

Count the number of octaves that go up.

Totals

Steps Up X 1

= $

Leaps Up X 2

= $

Octaves Up X 10

= $

Steps Up $

Leaps Up + $

Octaves Up + $

Total Ups = $

Count the number of steps that go down.

Count the number of leaps that go down.

Count the number of octaves that go down.

Totals

Steps Down X 1

= $

Leaps Down X 2

= $

Octaves down X 10

= $

Steps Down

Leaps Down + $

Octaves Down + $

Total Downs = $

Starting Investment $ 10.00

Total Ups + $

Total Downs - $

Your Total Moving Melody Market Earnings = $

The Moving Melody Market Figure-Outer

Up

Down

Total

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Arvo PärtVisit arvopart.info to learn more about Arvo Pärt and explore his inspiration for Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten.

Creative Extension 2: Create Your Own Cantus

• Play Arvo Pärt’s Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten, Track 11. • In this piece, musicians share and develop a single, simple motif by playing it in layers, at different

speeds, or by using overlapping entrances.• Some players start the motif at different times or play the motif at different speeds.• Model and complete My Own Cantus (SG45).• Share Cantus compositions by playing or singing the four notes in unison eight times.• Play or sing the four notes in layers, at different speeds, or overlapping (each player starts at a different

time, or plays or sings at a different speed).• Share your work with Carnegie Hall.

Share your work with us!Capture your work as audio or video and upload it to the Link Up Online Community. We may select your class’s Cantus for inclusion in the concert.

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45My Own Cantus

My Inspiration:

Direction: Up or down?

Steps, leaps, or both?

My Four Pitches:

Number of players/singers?

5

9

13

17

21

25

29

Staff Paper

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